The Diehard Breakdown: WVU 95 TCU 87

[WvuDieHard]

The Mountaineers played another mistake filled game tonight but overcame a 7 point deficit and 22 turnovers to finish off the Horned Frogs 95-87. This contest had the makings of an upset as WV had 5 players(Macon, Williams, Holton, Paige, & Adrian)with 4 fouls with over 10 minutes left in the game. But just as things looked bleak, it was a second half surge fueled by a ferocious pressing trap and a few big 3's that put the Mountaineers over the hump. This game was a dog fight after WV went up 8-0 in the first 2:30 of the game. From then on, it became a war of attrition as foul after foul began to limit the WV substitution pattern. The game had a total of 60 fouls called on both squads but it seems that is the way this WV team likes it.

Jaysean Paige (The Big 12 Player of the Week) again leads the Mountaineers with 20 points. Tarik Phillips nets 18 followed by Holton with 15, Miles, Jr. with 14, Carter and Williams with 13 each. WV wins the battle of the glass out rebounding the Horned Frogs 35-30. WVU shoots a season best 57% from the field and 9-17 behind the arc. The hot shooting offset a 35-40 effort on the free throw line by TCU.

Final analysis: A great win! A road win! A conference win! A sloppy win marred with mistakes and bad fouls. Nonetheless, it is the "W" that means the most. This team could be really good and make a Final Four run if it cleans up it's play and utilizes it's strengths. We can get a lot of offense thru Paige and Phillips--we found that out tonight but I knew it weeks ago. We must keep going in that direction especially when teams double Devin William down low. The Coaching staff needs to change up the half court defenses a little more especially when we go to a 1-3-1 and they kill us 3 out of 4 possessions with a made 3 pointer. Believe me, I started getting violent on the first one because I knew we couldn't stay in that zone. Finally we got out of the Zone and went to a soft man. Being in foul trouble was most likely the reason Huggs stayed with it as long as he did. I will say this, I would turn Paige into a superstar. Here is why, nobody guards him to his left. Paige is deadly off the dribble to his left--without a doubt his best move. Plus, he can shoot and he is starting to get confidence. Phillips is good at penetrating and drawing fouls. If we can get Carter back to a wing some with Phillips at point, we can start to really get good offensively and open up the middle more. Then with our defenses, we just might be ready to compete with the big dogs in the Big 12. Have a great day Mountaineer fans where ever your Country Road has taken you this bitter cold evening!

 

[Slaton10]

The Mountaineers played another mistake filled game tonight but overcame a 7 point deficit and 22 turnovers to finish off the Horned Frogs 95-87. This contest had the makings of an upset as WV had 5 players(Macon, Williams, Holton, Paige, & Adrian)with 4 fouls with over 10 minutes left in the game. But just as things looked bleak, it was a second half surge fueled by a ferocious pressing trap and a few big 3's that put the Mountaineers over the hump. This game was a dog fight after WV went up 8-0 in the first 2:30 of the game. From then on, it became a war of attrition as foul after foul began to limit the WV substitution pattern. The game had a total of 60 fouls called on both squads but it seems that is the way this WV team likes it.

Jaysean Paige (The Big 12 Player of the Week) again leads the Mountaineers with 20 points. Tarik Phillips nets 18 followed by Holton with 15, Miles, Jr. with 14, Carter and Williams with 13 each. WV wins the battle of the glass out rebounding the Horned Frogs 35-30. WVU shoots a season best 57% from the field and 9-17 behind the arc. The hot shooting offset a 35-40 effort on the free throw line by TCU.

Final analysis: A great win! A road win! A conference win! A sloppy win marred with mistakes and bad fouls. Nonetheless, it is the "W" that means the most. This team could be really good and make a Final Four run if it cleans up it's play and utilizes it's strengths. We can get a lot of offense thru Paige and Phillips--we found that out tonight but I knew it weeks ago. We must keep going in that direction especially when teams double Devin William down low. The Coaching staff needs to change up the half court defenses a little more especially when we go to a 1-3-1 and they kill us 3 out of 4 possessions with a made 3 pointer. Believe me, I started getting violent on the first one because I knew we couldn't stay in that zone. Finally we got out of the Zone and went to a soft man. Being in foul trouble was most likely the reason Huggs stayed with it as long as he did. I will say this, I would turn Paige into a superstar. Here is why, nobody guards him to his left. Paige is deadly off the dribble to his left--without a doubt his best move. Plus, he can shoot and he is starting to get confidence. Phillips is good at penetrating and drawing fouls. If we can get Carter back to a wing some with Phillips at point, we can start to really get good offensively and open up the middle more. Then with our defenses, we just might be ready to compete with the big dogs in the Big 12. Have a great day Mountaineer fans where ever your Country Road has taken you this bitter cold evening!

Pretty good summary...I would say the officials called the game much too closely!..some of those fouls were ridiculous petty fouls...especially all the flop jobs in the second half..the team was on the road for over a week...I expected ugly last night but this team has a ton of versatility in it...they can provide all kinds of match up problems for other teams...I watched the Kansas/OU game afterwards..I think Wv has a legit shot at winning the Big12

 

[bbwvfan]

Fortunately, WVU was playing TCU last night. TCU is terrible. They will likely finish the season with a losing record.

WVU came out with a win. So... there is that. A road win... so there is that.

A lot of flopping going on last night.

The team overcame adversity and won. There is nothing else good about the contest for me...

 

[Mac_Bridger]

We played TCU? I thought it was Duke from the way they flopped. I saw numerous fouls were TCU hit the deck and there was no contact at all.